1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrophotocopy machines and, in particular, to a copy sheet feed means actuating apparatus for such a machine.
Electrophotocopy machines are well known devices that are used for reproducing all forms of documents. These machines are usually either of the plain paper type or the coated paper type. The plain paper machines have a reuseable photoconductor and produce a copy of bond paper. The coated paper machines use a special paper that has been treated with a photosensitive substance so that the copy sheet functions as the photoconductor. These machines include a number of processing stations. At one station, the photoconductor is uniformly electrostatically charged. At another, the document to be copied is illuminated. At an imaging station the charged photoconductor is exposed to an image of the illuminated document to selectively discharge light struck areas of the photoconductor thereby forming a latent electrostatic image thereon. At a developing station, the latent image is developed by applying either a wet or dry type developer. In plain paper copiers, the developed image is thereafter transferred to a plain paper copy sheet. Finally, the toner is fixed to the copy sheet in one of a number of well known ways in order to yield a finished copy.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of electrophotocopy machines have their copy paper supply in a web that is stored on a supply reel in the machine. A pair of initial feed rollers hold the web in their nip until the rollers are actuated. Hence, one problem encountered with such roll-fed machines is how to timely actuate and deactuate the initial feed rollers during a copy cycle in order to coordinate the supply of copy sheets with the operation of the processing stations of the machine. Others have proposed electromechanical devices for sensing either the leading or trailing edges of the cut sheet and coupling the initial feed rollers to the motor with an electromagnetic clutch, operable to deactuate the feed rollers once the sheet has been cut from the web. Such devices are expensive, add to the overall complexity of the machine, and their malfunction could damage the machine. In contrast, the invention includes a relatively simple means for drivingly connecting the initial feed rollers to the motor when the carriage is substantially in the home position and for disconnecting the rollers from the motor as the carriage leaves the home position.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an actuator for a copy sheet feeder in a reciprocating carriage electrophotocopy machine.
Another object is to provide an apparatus for actuating a copy paper feed means in response to the position of the carriage.
An additional object is to provide an electrophotocopy machine with an actuator for a copy sheet feeder that is simple, inexpensive to manufacture, efficient and reliable in operation.